Yoga is beneficial for certain spine, bone and joint problems like arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, joint pain, back & neck pain but if it is practiced incorrectly, it may cause muscle strain, torn ligaments, or more serious spine injuries, said experts.

Orthopaedic & spine experts say that practicing yoga daily can help build bone mass and prevent many musculoskeletal problems including arthritis, osteoporosis. but serious muscle damage and related injuries can result if they do not take the proper precautions, especially for people with pre-existing musculoskeletal ailments or conditions.

“Yoga has immense benefits for overall health including keeping the spine healthy and strengthening the bones. Yoga increase people’s flexibility by up to 35 percent after only 7-8 weeks of practice. Certain poses enhance balance, and in older individuals specifically can actually reduce the number of falls they have,” Said Dr. Vaishya,

Yoga is also beneficial for spine health. Dr. Rahul Gupta, Senior Spine surgeon, Fortis Hospital (Noida) said that although no one treatment works for everyone, many aspects ofyoga make it ideal for treating back pain and neck pain. Studies have shown that those who practice yoga for as little as twice a week for 8 weeks make significant gains in strength, flexibility, and endurance, which is a basic goal of most rehabilitation programs for back pain or neck pain.

Dr. Raju Vaishya said that studies suggest that gentle yoga can be a safe practice for people with arthritis, and that it doesn’t make symptoms worse—in fact, quite the opposite. “You can carefully and cautiously exercise and do activities. He advises people to consult with their arthritis specialist before starting because not every yoga is safe for people with arthritis.

“Like muscles bones also become stronger when subjected to exercise; this is why people who indulge in heavy manual labor have strong bones. Physical activities like sports andyoga help maintain bone stock,” said Dr. Raju Vaishya, Vaishya who is also president of Arthritis Care Foundation (ACF), New Delhi.

According to a randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Rheumatology finds that people with arthritis who practice yoga can reap impressive physical and mental benefits. Those who practiced yoga three times a week had an improvement in pain levels, energy, mood and physical health compared to the group that didn’t do yoga—and the effects lasted even nine months later.

Derived from Sanskrit, the word ‘YOGA’ means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. While it originated in ancient India, yoga is today widely practiced in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity. In 2014, The United Nations recognized the universal appeal of Yoga and declared 21 June as the International Yoga Day.